The #DWI campaign takes tips from drivers around the state to help get drunk drivers off the road, but when you call the line there’s no ring.

A tipster said they tried to report a drunk driver early Saturday night. The car swerved toward him along Central and then pulled into a liquor store parking lot. When the tipster called #DWI, no one answered.

Advertisement

Action 7 News called the tip line Monday morning. It took 30 seconds for someone to pick up on the other end.

Sgt. Damyan Brown with the New Mexico State Police said that’s what is supposed to happen.

“A live person will answer that phone,” Brown said.

It doesn’t ring, but the call gets picked up by a dispatch center in Albuquerque. It doesn’t always go through there though.

“If it’s not answered here in Albuquerque, then it gets sent down to Soccoro,” Brown said.

Brown said that’s the pause you likely hear when you call the tip line.

“It’s possible it could take, there could be a delay especially when it rings here in Albuquerque from the time that it takes to get transferred,” Brown said.

Police say even if it takes a while, and you don’t hear anything on the other end, someone will eventually pick up your call.

Ultimately police want drunk drivers off the road, and the tip line helps them do that, Brown said. State police said if you do call the #DWI tip line to have as much information ready as you can.

Things that will help include location, vehicle description and a license plate number.